In August 1996, Senator the Hon. Richard Alston, Minister for Communications and the Arts, commissioned the most wide-ranging review of Commonwealth assistance to the film industry ever undertaken to assess the effectiveness of current policy and structures and identify options for the future.
More than 60 recommendations and key findings were included in the Report which was delivered to the Minister in February 1997.
The Report identified film and television productions as "the most accessible of all cultural activities ... a medium in which Australian creators are able to reach the world".
Its key finding was that "the Commonwealth supports the ... industry in order to achieve its cultural objectives and to enrich the cultural life of all Australians" and has the major responsibility for the development of the national film and television industry.
The Review of Commonwealth Support for the Film Industry is an important contribution in addressing Australian audiovisual cultural and industry development in an increasingly complex, global audiovisual environment. Other key recommendations included:
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that, if the Government's cultural objectives are to be achieved within a commercially driven Australian film and television industry, there is a continuing need for government assistance; |
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| recognising that maintaining a diversity of production is critical to meeting cultural objectives; |
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| direct funding should remain the principal mechanism for Commonwealth assistance; |
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| Commonwealth assistance has been critical in building and developing the Australian film and television industry to its current level of expertise and quality; |
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| direct and indirect funding be achieved through a "many doors" policy to ensure creativity and innovation in programs; |
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| endorsing the role of the Australian Content Standard as a major form of support for the Australian film and television industry; |
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| acknowledging that the Commercial Television Production Fund has promoted the "production of quality Australian programs for commercial television"; |
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| identifying changes in the Government's indirect funding, recommending an end to the 10BA and 10B taxation incentives and proposing that a Film Licensed Investment Companies Scheme (FLICS) be established to replace "10BA". The cost of the scheme would be met from current 10BA and 10B costs to Government revenue, which was $24 million in 1994-95. |
The Commonwealth Government has indicated that it will make a full response to the Gonski Report by the end of 1997, after additional consideration of tax concessions and other issues.
Parklands, is a 53 minute short drama, written and directed by Kathryn Millard and produced by Helen Bowden, which was co-funded by the AFC and SAFC.
Page last updated 26th December 1997